The Fratellis’ debut album ‘Costello Music’ was too perfect for its own good really. Everyone knew it and everyone loved it, and it is the true sound of the band. When they announced a tenth anniversary tour of the album, it felt like it was what everyone had been waiting for since its original stint […]
The Pickle Factory lies somewhere down a backstreet on the border of Hackney. Tucked away from the chaos of London town, it feels all too quiet on this brisk Monday night. With a capacity of only a couple of hundred people, tonight’s venue seems a world apart from the stages Ed Nash will be used […]
The night’s evening of music was hosted in Salford’s premier local, The Eagle Inn. Hidden in the small pocket of back-streets located between Manchester’s hustle and bustle of Deansgate and the glory of its 18,000 capacity arena, the quirks and charms of the venue-slash-boozer easily outweigh the rush that its counterparts provide. Working as the official […]
First impressions are everything, particularly for live bands. The challenge is to communicate everything you represent in an instant, and convince any sceptics of your validity. It’s a tough trick to captivate a total stranger, but it’s one that Lewis Del Mar, on the final night of their UK tour, pull off with ease.
As South London quartet Hidden Charms embrace the stage tonight, adorned in eye-catching retro fashions, it’s easy to worry this band could be throwback style over substance. Whilst it’s easy to see the groups 60s rock influence of The Kinks and The Beatles to The Stones in their dress, Hidden Charms certainly rip it up […]
The grimy, secluded surroundings of The Star and Garter seemed to be the perfect place for Gold Class to arrive for their stopover in Manchester, as part of their larger European tour. Like the venue itself, Gold Class seem to combine the dual characteristics of being rough around the edges, yet genuinely classy, if you’ll pardon the pun.
The dates, 15th and 16th October, earmark the weekend of A Carefully Planned Festival – a gathering for like-minded music lovers to indulge in fresh and inspiring live music that descends on Manchester’s beloved Northern Quarter. This year promised a few big names amongst an array of fresh-faced newcomers and well-loved local favourites.
A lot was resting on Manchester’s inaugural new music festival – Neighbourhood – to be a success. With over 100 acts lined up to play over the course of the all-dayer, ranging between established heavy-weights like Circa Waves and chart darlings Blossoms to fresh emerging talent like Ekkah and Cabbage also making appearances. It was obvious […]
As the allure of the metropolitan festival reaches its peak, when the news of a brand new all-dayer was announced, there was mixed feelings. Yet nothing will deter the Northern capital in its mission of bringing quality entertainment to the masses. The SJM-promoted event see’s a plethora of local talent mixed in with up-and-comers and established greats.
When embarking on a solo career, trepidation is to be expected. Johnny Lloyd’s previous project Tribes was beloved by many, and his emergence as a solo artist came as a pleasant, albeit unexpected surprise. However, the strength of his Dreamland EP, and the devotion of his fans, has meant that his gig at Gullivers, Lloyd’s first […]
The weekend of A Carefully Planned Festival is quickly approaching and if you’ve got a ticket you’ll be wanting to work out who to see, where to go and also make room to experience some surprises along the way.
Liverpool singer, songwriter and musician Natalie McCool will embark on an extensive UK tour this September, in support of her forthcoming album ‘The Great Unknown’. The shows promise compelling vocals, alt-pop dynamics and euphoric sing-a-longs, with previous singles Pins, Dig It Out and Fortress all poised to make an appearance, it’s simply a night out not to […]
Tom Odell was the recipient of 2013’s Brits Critics’ Choice Award, the young artist was propelled into the spotlight at a time when streaming was a mere spec on the industry’s eye. Now Odell, three years on, has released his long-awaited follow-up to debut ‘Long Way Down’ in the genre-bending epic ‘Wrong Crowd’.
The first week in July has seen the industrial built wharf in Manchester’s quirky district of Castlefield alive with music. Wednesday (6th July) saw British singer/songwriter James Bay take to the main stage for his triumphant return to the city, supported by two equally new and exciting artists – Irish troubadour Foy Vance and US country-folk pop […]
Skaters’ debut album Manhattan has become something of a cult classic amongst the indie and alternative community, and rightly so. Full of tight, concise and extremely fun songs, the record was a perfect groundworks from which the band could really go anywhere on their next project. As it turns out, the band have gone for […]
The Big Moon are really, really engaging. On record this is the case, but live it is even more pronounced. For a band that are ostensibly garage-rock, there is an intelligence and proficiency to both the song-writing and performance that many other bands aim for, but end up falling well short. There is always multiple […]
Scruff of the Neck records clearly have a good thing going for themselves. In a night which showcased a number of acts associated with the independent label and promoter, it was impressive that, right from the off, Manchester’s Sound Control was playing host to new talent of a dizzying height. The night was about collaboration, […]
Live at Leeds are celebrating the culmination of ten years leading thousands of punters through the streets of the Yorkshire city to experience the finest new live talent that both the UK and the world has to offer. With no exception, the festival organisers have solidified and strengthened their name once again with the plethora […]
We encounter a great deal of pop music in our day to day lives. Radio, YouTube, Spotify and TV ads, which bombard us with the sight of delicious food whilst Clean Bandit softly whirl in the background. However, rarely do we get to experience pop music at its absolute freshest, its rawest, and arguably at […]
Nothing But Thieves have achieved moderate success since forming – from touring with MUSE, their self-titled debut album achieving top 10 status in the UK Album Chart and sold-out headline tours across the board. Having long since escaped the days where they were writing songs in the confines of guitarist Dom Craik’s garage in Southend-On-Sea, no more […]